How has police work changed during the years? What did a “relay crown servant” do? What about the “vice squad”? When did Finland’s first Internet police officers begin working?
The Police Museum’s “The Police is Here!” permanent exhibition provides answers to these and many other questions. Welcome to learn more about the interesting stories and objects!
In the “Police is Here!” permanent exhibition, we give information about witch hunts, homicide, State treason, and cybercrime in the modern world. Museum visitors will be able to walk along streets and alleys where the police do their everyday work. The “criminal landscape” of the various epochs is on display: crimes, accidents and the dark side of the lives of police clients.
You can sit within the stone circle next to a beheading axe and marvel at the harsh legal practices and maintenance of public order in the past.
Photo the Police Museum, Pia Penttilä
The transformation of the relationship between the police and members of the public is a key aspect: how the police were regarded in the past, and the role of the police throughout the ages. For example, during the beginning of Finland’s independence constables would walk on the streets policing with a stern face. Unnecessary chatting with citizens and smiling were not part of a constable’s proper behavior.
The permanent exhibition also features artefacts from the Crime Museum collection. For security and data protection reasons, the Crime Museum is not open to the general public, but in our exhibition, anybody can get acquainted with some of the Crime Museum’s fascinating objects and the stories linked with them.
The permanent exhibition is suitable for museum visitors of all ages. The exhibition texts are in Finnish, Swedish, and English. There is also a free audio guide available in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Photo the Police Museum, Pia Penttilä
In the activities space called TOTI, adjacent to the permanent exhibition, you can find many things to do and experience. The space includes, among others, the Pokela police station for children, the wall of items that may be touched, and Kino cinema, where you can watch films about the police.
You can also explore the inside of a real police van and take pictures of yourself in the police van!
